Interesting Reiss Piece - 2007 Pats Draft

[mgteich]

Belichick used his 2007 draft picks to trade for Moss, Welker and a 2008 first. The 2008 first ended up being Mayo and Crable.

If the 2007 draft killed us, we need to be killed like that more often.

The '06 draft was worse, when you factor in the trades made in 2007. I mentioned a few months back that it was probably the 2006 and 2007 drafts that hurt the Pats in 2008 the most.

2006 was indeed worse. However, we did get a probowler, a starter, and four role players. I think we get very spoiled. In the end, if 2006 is a lousy draft, it is because of injuries to the 1,2,3,4a and 5.

2006 - New England Patriots
1 21 Laurence Maroney RB Minnesota
2 36 Chad Jackson WR Florida
3 86 David Thomas TE Texas
4 106 Garrett Mills RB Tulsa
4 118 Stephen Gostkowski K Memphis
5 136 Ryan O'Callaghan T California
6 191 Jeremy Mincey LB Florida
6 205 Dan Stevenson G Notre Dame
6 206 Le Kevin Smith DT Nebraska
7 229 Willie Andrews CB Baylor

 

[pats1]

That is not a horrendous draft, not a world beater either, but a thoroughly mediocre draft with one "star" in Gost. a pair of contributors in Maroney and Thomas, and a couple of rotational guys in O'Callaghan and Smith. If that is the "BAD" draft, it is not that bad compared to any of the solely Grier drafts.

I think calling Thomas a contributor would be a stretch. And both Maroney and Jackson are teetering on the precipice of early round busts.

 

[pats1]

Besides, the 2004 and 2001 drafts are right up there with 2006:

2004 - New England Patriots
1 21 Vince Wilfork NT Miami (Fla.)
1 32 Benjamin Watson TE Georgia
2 63 Marquise Hill DE Louisiana State
3 95 Guss Scott SAF Florida
4 113 Dexter Reid SAF North Carolina
4 128 Cedric Cobbs RB Arkansas
5 164 P.K. Sam WR Florida State
7 233 Christian Morton CB Illinois

2001 - New England Patriots
1 6 Richard Seymour DT Georgia
2 48 Matt Light T Purdue
3 86 Brock Williams CB Notre Dame
4 96 Kenyatta Jones T South Florida
4 119 Jabari Holloway TE Notre Dame
5 163 Hakim Akbar DB Washington
6 180 Arther Love TE South Carolina State
6 200 Leonard Myers CB Miami (Fla.)
7 216 Owen Pochman K Brigham Young
7 239 T.J. Turner LB Michigan State

At this point, 2005 (Mankins, Cassel, Sanders, Hobbs, Kaczur) and 2003 (Warren, Samuel, Koppen, Wilson, Banta-Cain) appear to be solid classes.

 

[stinkypete]

Besides, the 2004 and 2001 drafts are right up there with 2006:

2004 - New England Patriots
1 21 Vince Wilfork NT Miami (Fla.)
1 32 Benjamin Watson TE Georgia
2 63 Marquise Hill DE Louisiana State
3 95 Guss Scott SAF Florida
4 113 Dexter Reid SAF North Carolina
4 128 Cedric Cobbs RB Arkansas
5 164 P.K. Sam WR Florida State
7 233 Christian Morton CB Illinois

2001 - New England Patriots
1 6 Richard Seymour DT Georgia
2 48 Matt Light T Purdue
3 86 Brock Williams CB Notre Dame
4 96 Kenyatta Jones T South Florida
4 119 Jabari Holloway TE Notre Dame
5 163 Hakim Akbar DB Washington
6 180 Arther Love TE South Carolina State
6 200 Leonard Myers CB Miami (Fla.)
7 216 Owen Pochman K Brigham Young
7 239 T.J. Turner LB Michigan State

At this point, 2005 (Mankins, Cassel, Sanders, Hobbs, Kaczur) and 2003 (Warren, Samuel, Koppen, Wilson, Banta-Cain) appear to be solid classes.

Don't forget the 2002 draft (Graham, Branch, Green, Givens). It provided the offensive foundation for the '03-'04 championship teams.

I see no need to knock the 2007 draft once you look at how poor that draft class was overall. The only teams that really hit home runs with that draft were the Giants and Pittsburgh. The Patriots use of thsir picks, acquiring Moss, Welker and the pick that eventually became Mayo, really puts them in the running for best drafting team that year.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Don't forget the 2002 draft (Graham, Branch, Green, Givens). It provided the offensive foundation for the '03-'04 championship teams.

I see no need to knock the 2007 draft once you look at how poor that draft class was overall. The only teams that really hit home runs with that draft were the Giants and Pittsburgh. The Patriots use of thsir picks, acquiring Moss, Welker and the pick that eventually became Mayo, really puts them in the running for best drafting team that year.

That actually makes 2007 a successful draft. In these types of discussions, people tend to forget that drafts are there to produce the best team on the field. It's not to see how many draftees play.

This is a trend in baseball to prize and coddle prospects. A farm system exists to produce maximum success at the big league level.

Any draft that produces Welker, Moss, and Mayo is a monster draft. The absense of 2007 rookie contracts is irrelavent.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Looking back, I guess you have to look at "what could have been"

1st rd Pats pick Meriweather- could have had Jon Beason or Anthony Spencer (I think that they were going to take which either one was left at 28, but they were both gone by 28), you can not even touch trading #28 for what turned out to be #7 which they turned into Mayo and Crable (49ers took Jose Staley). I really can't see how they could have done this any better.

2nd & 7th rd to Miami for Welker (Miami took Samson Satele, and Abraham Wright) still nobody on the board at that pick that you would even think of trading for Welker.

3rd rd the Pats trade pick #91 in 2007 for pick # 62 which they traded to SD for their #2 in 2008, which they traded back to Oakland, yada, yada, yada, they ended up with Ron Brace for the #91 pick in the 2007 draft.
Who they could have picked Mario Henderson (Raider's pick, Johnny Lee Higgins, etc)
You really can't argue with the way this turned out either.

4th rd Traded pick # 110 (john Bowie) for Randy Moss, any questions???
took Kareem Brown, could have had Clint Session, Le/Ron McClain,Steve Breaston, David Boss. Plenty of what ifs here.

5th rd traded another pick to Oak (I still can't find that trade) they pick eric Frampton, could have had WIlliam GAY, a starting CB with the Steelers.
5th rd comp-pcked Odenburg, could have had: lagaduu Nanee, troy smith.

6th rd, took Justin Rodgers, could have had:nobody...ditto for the 2 6th rd comp picks ditto for rd 7, the only player that they could have picked in rd 6 and 7 that would still be on the team would be Ahmad Bradshaw.

So overall this draft the Pats ended up with Merriweather, Mayo, Welker, Moss, Crable, and Ron Brace. Not bad.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Best draft of receivers in NFL history.

Looking back at the 2007 Patriots draft - Reiss' Pieces - Boston.com

Any draft that produces One Pro bowl player is a success; any draft that produces Two Pro bowl player is a great success; any draft that produces Three Pro bowl players is an extraordinary success!

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Dissecting the 2007 draft:

1a. Meriweather
1b. Moss (4th), Mayo (2008), Crable (2008)
2. Welker (+7th)
3. Brace (2009)
4a. Moss
4b. Brown - claimed off (NYJ)
5. Oldenburg - released (Den)
6a. Rogers - claimed off waivers (Dal)
6b. Richardson - released
6c. Hairston - released (Buf)
6d. Hilliard - released (Ind)
7a. Lua - released
7b. Elgin - released
7c. Welker

 

[BradyFTW!]

So people are still complaining about a draft that directly resulted in us getting Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Jerod Mayo, and Brandon Meriweather? WTF?

 

[mayoclinic]

Looking back, I guess you have to look at "what could have been"

1st rd Pats pick Meriweather- could have had Jon Beason or Anthony Spencer (I think that they were going to take which either one was left at 28, but they were both gone by 28), you can not even touch trading #28 for what turned out to be #7 which they turned into Mayo and Crable (49ers took Jose Staley). I really can't see how they could have done this any better.

2nd & 7th rd to Miami for Welker (Miami took Samson Satele, and Abraham Wright) still nobody on the board at that pick that you would even think of trading for Welker.

3rd rd the Pats trade pick #91 in 2007 for pick # 62 which they traded to SD for their #2 in 2008, which they traded back to Oakland, yada, yada, yada, they ended up with Ron Brace for the #91 pick in the 2007 draft.
Who they could have picked Mario Henderson (Raider's pick, Johnny Lee Higgins, etc)
You really can't argue with the way this turned out either.

4th rd Traded pick # 110 (john Bowie) for Randy Moss, any questions???
took Kareem Brown, could have had Clint Session, Le/Ron McClain,Steve Breaston, David Boss. Plenty of what ifs here.

5th rd traded another pick to Oak (I still can't find that trade) they pick eric Frampton, could have had WIlliam GAY, a starting CB with the Steelers.
5th rd comp-pcked Odenburg, could have had: lagaduu Nanee, troy smith.

6th rd, took Justin Rodgers, could have had:nobody...ditto for the 2 6th rd comp picks ditto for rd 7, the only player that they could have picked in rd 6 and 7 that would still be on the team would be Ahmad Bradshaw.

So overall this draft the Pats ended up with Merriweather, Mayo, Welker, Moss, Crable, and Ron Brace. Not bad.

I agree that we did pretty well out of the 2007 draft. The general concensus was that it was a weak draft, and BB traded out of it aggressively, suggesting that the values were not to his liking.

There are really only a few players out of the 2007 draft who I really would have considered seriously for the Pats:

- DE/OLB Lamarr Woodley - taken #46 in the 2nd round by Pittsburgh. Would have been a worthy pick in the first, but you can't argue that we didn't do well with what we had.
- SILB David Harris - taken #47 in the 2nd round by the Jets. Would have made a nice eventual SILB complement to Mayo, but he would have been a first round reach.
- SILB Stewart Bradly - taken #87 in the 3rd round by Philly. Would have made a nice SILB eventual SILB complement t Mayo, and many think the Pats were targeting him at 91. Then again, as you say, that pick ended up turning into Ron Brace, so we didn't do too badly.

Not very many other players who I would really have wanted out of that draft, especially given where we were picking. I think we maximized value.

The amazing thing is how good the 2009 draft looks right now (albeit very early) compared to 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007, with possibly all 12 picks being competitive right now to either make the team, the PS, or being on IR and eventually making the regular roster. We could end up with 10 players eventually starting or getting significant playing time at their positions. Can't remember when anyone had that kind of success rate.

 

[Gwedd]

So people are still complaining about a draft that directly resulted in us getting Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Jerod Mayo, and Brandon Meriweather? WTF?

Pretty much. I don't get it either. there are teams out there that would LOVE to have that sort of a "poor draft"...

 

[pats1]

Polian must have read this thread, because Hilliard was cut by the Colts today.

 

[Gwedd]

Polian must have read this thread, because Hilliard was cut by the Colts today.

Oh, well played... bwahahahaha..... :singing:

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I always thought Justin Rogers could have contributed in NE, but the Cowboys grabbed him up before NE had the chance to place him on the Practice Squad. I don't know if anyone remembers, but at the time myself and others believed Rogers wouldn't make it to the practice squad, and were hoping NE would cut someone like Alexander instead. In two seasons with the Cowboys Rogers has 34 tackles, while Alexander's notched 36 tackles over five seasons. Heck, Rogers even has a more prototypical 34 LB build at 6'4" 250lbs, and has shown some versatility in Dallas playing at both inside linebacker spots, and outside Linebacker.

I remember. I think BB made one of his rare mistakes there cuting Rogers so that Chad Brown could make the 53.